Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 CLERMONT, Fla. – After sweeping a pair of games on Wednesday at the National Training Center, the No. 15 Plattsburgh State softball team dropped two games Thursday morning to bring its record to 6-4 in the young season.
 
Wednesday, March 20
Plattsburgh State 12, Trinity College 8
After a rain delay pushed back the start of Wednesday’s games, Plattsburgh State began the evening with a 12-8 victory over Trinity College.
 
The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Brianna Clarke drilled a two-out triple and scored on an error by Trinity’s shortstop. Sam Capobianco picked up an RBI later in the inning, bringing in Michelle Iannone. The lead was a short-lived one though as the Bantams quickly answered back, scoring two of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
 
The game remained tied at 2-2 until the top of the fourth when Plattsburgh State exploded for six runs on six hits, including two doubles. Kerry McCarty knocked a two-run double before Clarke brought in two more with a two-run single.
 
Plattsburgh State tacked on three more runs to build an 11-2 cushion, but the Bantams fought back in the bottom of the fifth with a lead-off home run followed by a double to knock Cardinals’ starter Ashley Marshall out of the circle. Morgan Anderson stepped in for relief but Trinity scored three more in the inning to make it an 11-6 game.
 
Trinity added another run in the bottom of the sixth to come within four but the Cardinals picked up another run in the seventh on an RBI double by Nicole Milano.
 
The Bantams threatened again in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh and causing Marshall to re-enter the game for the Cardinals. After walking in Trinity’s final run, Marshall closed out the game with back-to-back strikeouts.
 
The two teams combined for 30 hits while the Cardinals had 14 of them. Clarke was a standout at the plate for the Cardinals going 3 for 3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Brittany Marshall drew three walks and scored twice.
 
Ashley Marshall earned the win, allowing four runs on eight hits in five innings. She also struck out seven. Anderson gave up four runs, three of which were earned, and eight hits in two innings of work.
 
Plattsburgh State 1, UMass-Boston 0         
The Cardinals scattered 10 hits in Wednesday’s second game but left nine runners on base in a 1-0 walk-off win against UMass-Boston.
 
Sam Moss got the start in the circle for Plattsburgh State, tossing 4.2 shutout innings. Moss walked two and struck out a pair before handing the ball to Ashley Marshall. Marshall allowed no runs and no hits while striking out five through 2.1 innings.
 
Plattsburgh State’s Brittany Marshall led off the bottom of the first with a lead-off single to left before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kristine Gay. A strike out and a fly ball to center field left Marshall stranded on third.
 
The Cardinals did not have another base runner advance past second base until the bottom of the seventh. Samantha Tenney opened the inning by crushing a double to center field and advancing to third on a wild pitch. A line drive to second base and a fielder’s choice quickly put Plattsburgh State down to its last out before Brianna Clarke ripped a single up the middle to bring in the winning run.
 
Clarke, Tenney and Natasha Schultz each added two hits.
 
Thursday, March 21
Tufts 3, Plattsburgh State 0
Similar to last year’s matchup at the NCAA Division III Softball Championships, the Cardinals were unable to solve Tufts’ pitcher Allyson Fournier in a 3-0 loss to open Thursday’s games.
 
Ashley Marshall went the distance for Plattsburgh State, allowing five hits, three runs and four walks while registering six strikeouts in her first loss of the season.
 
The nationally-ranked No. 13 Jumbos limited the Cardinals to just two hits in the loss – a pair of singles from Brittany Marshall.
 
Bethany 8, Plattsburgh State 0 (5 inn.)
A tough morning for the Plattsburgh State offense continued in the second game as the Cardinals were run-ruled in an 8-0 loss to Bethany College in five innings.
 
Sam Moss struggled in her start for Plattsburgh State. Moss took the loss, allowing six runs and three hits while only recording two outs. Ashley Marshall pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless ball with six strikeouts before Morgan Anderson came in to pitch the fifth.
 
After surrendering back-to-back singles, Anderson recorded two quick outs to give the Cardinals a chance to come out of the inning unscathed. Two straight walks made it a 7-0 game and a bases-loaded single brought in the final run to give Bethany the victory.
 
Brittany Marshall, Natasha Schultz, Samantha Tenney and Megan Price all singled for Plattsburgh State, who finished the game with four hits.
 
The Cardinals will wrap up their spring break trip Friday with two more games. Plattsburgh State will play William Patterson at 9 a.m. before the Florida finale against Wisconsin-Whitewater at 11 a.m.